This Week in Washington IP: Innovative Wood Products, Oversight of the VA’s Electronic Health Records System and the Trump Administration’s R&D Budget

This week in Washington IP events, Congressional consideration of technology and innovation topics are limited to the House of Representatives, which will hold hearings in the middle of the week on topics such as the Trump Administration’s research and development budget for fiscal year 2021, the delayed rollout of Veterans Affairs’ electronic health record system, as well as innovative products in the lumber industry. Elsewhere in D.C., The Brookings Institution hosts an event exploring modernization efforts at the U.S. Navy and the Center for Strategic and International Studies focuses on ways to improve Internet infrastructure to aid lower-income economies in developing nations across the world.

Wednesday, February 26

House Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry

Innovative Wood Products: Promoting Rural Economies and Healthy Forests

At 10:00 AM on Wednesday in 1300 Longworth House Office Building.

The U.S. lumber industry and the wood products it creates may not seem like a wellspring of innovative technology to many, but the sustainable management and harvesting of forests as a means of contributing to carbon sequestration programs has been growing in popularity as the nation’s lawmakers continue to increase their focus on supporting carbon negative technologies. The witness panel for this hearing has yet to be announced.

Center for Strategic and International Studies 

Sustainable Development Goal #9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

At 10:00 AM on Wednesday at CSIS Headquarters, 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20036.

A lack of Internet access and a correlating inability to participate in the global economy are both highly concentrated in developing countries. About 90 percent of the 4 billion people worldwide who do not have Internet access are situated in lower- and lower-middle income countries. This event, part of the Chevron Forum for Development series at CSIS which focuses on a collection of Sustainable Development Goals, will explore how regions like Sub-Saharan Africa can develop the infrastructure required for Internet access and increase both innovation and worker productivity levels in those economies. Speakers at this event will include Enoh Ebong, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Milken Institute; Jonathan Said, Head of Inclusive Growth and Private-Sector Development Practice, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change; Karin Krchnak, Program Manager, 2030 Water Resources Group, World Bank; Daniel Runde, Senior Vice President, William A. Schreyer Chair and Director, Project on Prosperity and Development, CSIS; and Peter Raymond, Senior Associate, Reconnecting Asia Project and Simon Chair in Political Economy, CSIS.

Thursday, February 27 

House Committee on Science, Space and Technology

A Review of the Administration’s Federal Research and Development Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2021

At 10:00 AM on Thursday in 2318 Rayburn House Office Building.

On February 11, the White House issued President Donald Trump’s budget for the 2021 fiscal year which reflects a 6 percent increase to the federal research and development budget and doubles expenditures on nondefense artificial intelligence and quantum information science. The sole witness at this hearing will be Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy.

House Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies 

Oversight of VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization Implementation

At 1:00 PM on Thursday in 2358-C Rayburn.

Although the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) had originally planned to officially begin its use of the Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) in Spokane, WA’s Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center on March 28, the VA announced in mid-February that it was delaying this start date to address issues in building the system and properly training clinical staff to use it. The witness panel for this hearing Dr. Melissa Glynn, Assistant Secretary for Enterprise Integration, Department of Veterans Affairs; Dr. Richard Stone, Executive in Charge, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; and John Windom, Executive Director, Office of Electronic Health Record Modernization, Department of Veterans Affairs.

Friday, February 28

The Brookings Institution 

How a Modernized Navy Will Compete With China and Russia

At 9:00 AM on Friday at The Brookings Institution, Falk Auditorium, 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20036.

Adapting to uncertain budgetary constraints and geopolitical climates continues to challenge every branch of the U.S. military. The U.S. Navy has recently been contemplating, among other things, increasing the use of digital technologies that can help better identify inventory owned by the Navy and cut down on redundant purchases to free up a significant portion of the Navy’s budget. This event will feature a discussion with Thomas Modly, Acting Secretary of the Navy, U.S. Department of Defense. That discussion will be moderated by Michael O’Hanlon, Senior Fellow and Director of Research, Foreign Policy, The Sydney Stein, Jr. Chair, The Brookings Institution.